Rural mail box



Aug. 4, 1931- J. 5. SWA-NLUND 1,817,718

RURAL MAIL BOX Filed April 29'. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A z 1/ W o 6, v Jkw WITNESS:

-1. J. s, SWANLUND- 1,817,718

RURAL MAIL BOX Filed April 29, 1929 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 iii Jazz lflZflarlZazu II INVENTOR llm [1| BY Wh fi a I TTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1931 PATENT ()FFICE JOHN s. SWANLUND, or nocxronn, ILLINOIS RURAL MAIL BOX Application filed April 29,

The invention relates to the broad class of deposit and collection receptacles, particularly to rural mail boxes, and has for its object the provision of a mail box of pattern approved by the Government and equipped with novel means for indicating the name of the owner and his number on the route. An important object of the invention is to 10 provide an indicating device of such construction that changes may be readily made in case the box is taken over by a different owner or subscriber. A Still another object of the invention is to 5 provide a mail box having name indicating means so arranged as to be protected against the weather so that the name and number will be readily'legible even after prolonged use.

An additional object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use, positive inaction, eficient and durable in service, and a general improvement in the 25 art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view,'the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich I Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional mail box embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the name holder mounted on top of the box showing it in its enclosing casing or housing.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of 4a the name holder removed from its casing.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail cross sectional view through the outer container alone.

Figure 7 is a cross section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section through one end portion of the case or housing for the name holder.

Referring more particularly to the draw- 192a Serial Nb. 358,975.

,ings, the letter A designates a mail box constructed in accordance with the U. S. Government requirements as to size, shape and material. Such a box of course includes a body. portion having sidewalls B connected by a preferably integral substantially semicylindrical top portion G continuous there with, a bottom D, a closed rear end wall E, and a'door F hinged at G and carrying a catch I-I cooperating with a keeper I on the top portion C.

Pivotally mounted in a bracket J on the side of the box is a signal flag K provided with any suitable means for maintaining it selectively in vertical or horizontal position depending upon whether or not the mail carriers attention is to be attracted to the box. Up to this point, the structure is old zfurd well known and no claim is made thereor. I

In carrying out the invention I provide a name holder structure indicated generally by the numeral 10, mounted upon the top of the box A. This holder is represented as comprising an elongated casing 11 preferably rectangular in cross section and constructed of sheet metal galvanized or otherwise treated to have 'a neat and ornamental appearance and to resist the action of the weather. At its opposite sides this outer casing 11 is formed with registering or aligned elongated slots 12. One edge of the metal sheet from which this outer member is formed, is arranged in overlapping relation to one ofthe sides and is curled inwardly at the upper edge of one of the openings 12 as clearly indicated at 13 for securing purposes. At the ends, the outer member 11 is formed with flaps 14:, 15 and 16 located respectively at the top, sides and bottom. The flaps are intended to be folded upon one another as indicated in Figure 3 and a securing element, not shown, may be inserted through a hole 17 in one end flap 16 though the flaps at the other end are intended to be leftunsecured, though folded, in order that the member 11 may be opened to permit the introduction or withdrawal-of the inner member which is here represented as likewise comprising a rectangular in cross section member 18 open at its top but having sides 19 and a bottom 20.

The sides 19 are formed with elongated slots 21 registering with the slots 12 in the outer member 11. This inner member 18 also has end walls 22 which may be formed simply as continuations of the bottom folded up and soldered or otherwise secured for example by a fastener 23. Extending long tudinally within the inner member 18 is an inverted spacer of U-shape indicated at 24 likewise formed of sheet metal. The spaces. between the outer sides of the spacing member 241 and the side walls 19 are intended and adapted to contain a plurality of blocks 25 of suitable Width and, of any desired mate. rial, which blocks are inscribed with letters of the alphabet which may be arranged to form the. name of the owner of the boX, certain blocks being also provided with numerals so that the number in the route may be indicated. Of course certain of the blocks are left blank to fill out at the end of the name and to define. spaces between initials or between first and last names, etc. it is intended that there be two sets of such blocks used, one at each side of the central spacing member 24', so that the legends on the blocks will be clearly visible through the registering slots 12 and 21 at both sides of the name holder. 7

In the use of the device, the blocks bearin the desired letters and figures are arranged within the spaces between the side walls 19 and the spacer 24 so as to spell out the name of the person and the number on the; route. These blocks are of course arranged in edge to. edge relation and they will fill the spaces and be visible from both sides of the device.

After the blocks have been thus arranged within the holder 18- this member 18 is inserted into the outer member 10 through one end thereof, after which the flaps 14, 15; and 16 are folded into place to, prevent accidental withdraw-a1. In case it is desired ornecessary to. make a change at any time, the flaps 1 1, 15 and 16' must be bent out so that the innermember-IS maybe withdrawn from the outer member or housing 11, whereupon ac cess may be had to the blocks for removing or changing any of them. After the change has been effected, the inner member 18 with the revised blocl': arrangement is reinserted within the outer member 11 and the flaps again closed.

From the foregoing descriptionand' a, study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very simple construction. which will efficiently perform all the functions for which it is intended. It; is believed that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without-further explana tion.

VVhileI have shown, and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make all such changes in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention I claim:

1. A name indicating device for a mail box, comprising an elongated housing member adapted to be mounted upon the top of a mail box and having its sides formed with longitudinally extending openings, flaps bent inwardly upon one another and normally closing the ends of the housing an inner member sliidably rernovably mounted within said liouf g and formed in its sides with openings registering with said first named openings, spacing member extending longitudinally of the inner member at its center and defining separate compartments between the outer sides thereof and the inner sides of" the side walls, and av plurality of blocks arranged in edge toedge relation with in each of said compartments and bearin letters d figures adapted to be arranged to spell out a name and number.

2., A mail box attachment comprising an eiongated housing member rectangular in cross section formed in opposite sides with longitudinal openings and having one end formed with flaps adapted to be overlapped to define an enclosure, an inner member of rectangular shape in cross section slidably reinovably mounted within said outer member and provided in its opposite sides with openings registering with said first named openings, means located at the center of said inner member and extending longitudinally thereof for defining spaced compartments, and a alurality of blocks located within each compartment and bearing letters and figures for spelling out a name and number, the blocks in. the respective compartments being visible from the sides of the outer housing through the first and second named openings.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN S. SWANLUND,

all 

